Cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with lung and anal carcinomas

Cutaneous plasmacytosis is a rare disorder characterized by a benign proliferation of mature plasma cells that appears as multiple dark-brown to purplish skin lesions, often associated with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia. We present the case of a 55-year-old Caucasian man who suffered from a cutaneous plasmacytosis associated with two different carcinomas. Cutaneous plasmacytosis seems to be a reactive process because most cases reported are not associated with any apparent underlying disease. Nevertheless, because few reported cases were associated with malignancies, screening of additional neoplasms would be justified.     

Valve-related complications with the Hancock I porcine bioprosthesis. A twelve- to fourteen-year follow-up study

Valve-related morbidity and mortality after heart valve replacement with the Hancock I porcine bioprosthesis has been retrospectively analyzed. From June 1974 through December 1976, 253 Hancock I bioprostheses (150 mitral and 103 aortic) were inserted in 220 selected patients who survived the operation and had follow-up until June 1989 (mean follow-up 13.5 years, with an accumulative follow-up of 2956.4 patient-years). One hundred seventeen patients had mitral valve replacement, 70 had aortic valve replacement, and 33 had combined mitral and aortic valve replacement. There were 27 thromboembolic events. The probability of being free from thromboembolism at 14 years was 81.0% +/- 7.4% for the mitral valve replacement group, 85.4% +/- 6.7% for the aortic group, and 67.1% +/- 18.4% for the mitral-aortic group. Fifteen episodes of prosthetic valve endocarditis occurred. There were 10 instances of nonstructural dysfunction (paravalvular leaks) in seven mitral valves (4.6%) and in three aortic valves (2.9%). One hundred twenty-two bioprostheses in 106 patients resulted in structural deterioration. The probability of freedom from structural deterioration at 14 years was 37.2% +/- 3.9% for the mitral group, 43.9% +/- 7.1% for the aortic group, and 30.1% +/- 8.9% for the mitral-aortic group. The logistic regression analysis between age at the time of operation and bioprosthetic life (structural deterioration-free period) demonstrates a linear regression curve (r = 0.53). There were 56 late deaths (27 patients died at reoperation). The actuarial survival rate (including hospital mortality) at 14 years was 57.2% +/- 5.4% for the entire series, with no statistically significant difference between groups. The probability of remaining free from valve-related morbidity and mortality at 14 years was 16.7% +/- 4.8% for the mitral group, 20.8% +/- 6.2% for the aortic group, and 14.0% +/- 7.0% for the mitral-aortic group. The long-term results of this series show that the clinical performance of the Hancock I porcine valve appears satisfactory during the first 6 years. The behavior of this bioprosthesis at 14 years' follow-up changes drastically, because only a minor group of patients is free from valve-related complications, justifying the restriction of its use for selected patients.     

Arachidonic acid metabolites in CSF in hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy of newborn infants

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cerebral synthesis of eicosanoids in the asphyctic newborn and to investigate the relation between the prostanoid profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the appearance and severity of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Levels of 6-keto-PGF _1-α, TXB₂, PGE₂ and PGF_2-α in CSF were measured in 40 full term newborns during the first day of life. Thirty of these newborns had birth asphyxia and were divided into three groups: 10 without HIE, 12 with mild HIE and 8 with moderate-severe HIE. They were compared to a control group of 10 non-hypoxic newborns. Determinations of the metabolites in CSF were performed by RIA and expressed as pg/ml (mean ± SD). The CSF TXB₂ (thromboxane A₂ metabolite) in asphyxiated newborns was always higher than in the control group (28.12 ± 10.6), and related to the severity of HIE ( p = 0:005): without HIE (50.84 ± 16.4; p = 0:02), mild HIE (80.65 ± 12.64; p ± 0:01) and moderate-severe HIE (178.14 ± 20.5; p < 0:01). The CSF 6-keto-PGF _1-α (prostacyclin metabolite) in asphyxiated newborns was always higher than in the control group (80.55 ± 12.56), but indirectly related to the severity of HIE: without HIE (240.95 ± 28.12; p < 0:01), mild HIE (183.65 ± 30.1; p < 0:01) and moderate-severe HIE (140.55 ± 25.12; p < 0:01). In the moderate-severe HIE group, the increase in TXB₂ was higher than the rise in 6-keto-PGF _1-α.     

Occurrence of the t(2;5)(p23;q35) in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Primary CD30(Ki-1)-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL) is considered by some to be a distinct clinicopathologic entity associated with the t(2;5) (p23;q35). However, the specificity of t(2;5) for ALCL has not been carefully studied. Therefore, we performed a detailed analysis of all cases of ALCL with abnormal cytogenetics results in the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group registry, as well as all other cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with t(2;5) in the registry. We found the t(2;5) in only five of 10 cases of ALCL, four of whom were young patients. However, we also found the t(2;5) in 11 other cases of nonanaplastic lymphoma, including eight children with typical peripheral T-cell lymphomas of various types. The t(2;5) was also found in three older adults with B-cell lymphomas of various types. Thus, the t(2;5) was not specific for CD30+ ALCL. However, t(2;5) may define a clinicopathologic entity in children and young adults characterized by variable morphologies with a T-cell or indeterminate phenotype, CD30-positivity, nodal disease with frequent extranodal involvement, advanced stage, and an excellent response to therapy, including bone marrow transplantation for relapsed disease. The clinical relevance of the t(2;5) in older patients requires further study.